Tire chain keeper



Oct. 20, 1931. G. KLINTWORTH TIRE CHAIN KEEPER Filed Sept. 25 .195Q

lnventor Glen Klintworth wi l g n Patent d Oct 20, 193i GLENKLINTWORTH; so n' IBnER, NEBRASKA 'rrnnloimm KEEPER.

Application September 25, l930, Serial No. 484,401.

The present invention relatesto improve ments intire chain keepers, and has 'for an mobiles.

It is another object of theinvention topro vide a positively locking clip, detent'or keeper 10 so constructed as to prevent its accidental opening or release, which is attended, with the standard types of these devices, with the release and the loss ofthe anti-skid chains.

A furtherobject of the" invention'l'is to 'pifOfvide an improvedtire chain keeperin which the ends of the chain maybe securelyv heldf together at high speed: of the vehicle [and l r v V 1n line With the length 'ofthe chain so"v that due to differences in inflation in the when the chain is subjectedtoroughusage;

A still further objectlof'the invent on resides in providing an improved tire chain keeper which may be economically construct- .ed with great strength anddurabilityand wherein the locking part will: not be to, work loose, because of thechainbecom'ln'g slack. v H i.

With the foregoing and other ob ec'ts"1n view, the invention will'be more fully de o scribed hereinafter, and will be moref'par.v ticularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto. 1

In the drawings, wherein like symbols, refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, 7 I

Figure 1 is a side view of an improved tire chain keeper constructed in accordance with the presentinvention and shown in the locked position with fragments of the ends of the side chain also illustrated.

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through the improved device inthe open pos1-' tion and indicating one link of the chain broken away.

Figure 3 shows a topplan View of the device in the closed position as applied to the end links of a tire chain, and Figure 4 is a top plan view of the locking element taken separately.

Referring more' particularly to the draw- I ings, a chain, such as the'side chain of an automobile anti-skid 'device, is shown at 10,

linksf ll and 12 of any. appropriate form;

"j is provided at one end with an elongated dev c a t can d e t t l n tu 23 and 24 of the keeper member 14. Such such'side chains being adapted, the usual manner, to be connected to cross chains which n span the tread of the tire, Yo I {The ends of the side-chains terminate in Quito usually these'lin'ks are secured in a clip of well known construction having a pivoted frictionally held keeper adapted'to interlock the link 12in a hook of the clip. Theimprovedclip, according to the present -invention, consists of aplate 13 and a keeper or locking member 14. V The plate 13 slot 15 adapted to slidably receive there-' through .a' transverse pin 16 'carried by one endlink -11 of the chain 10. Tlie slot l5 in the plate l iextends as to its major'a xi'sl tire and to the compression ofthe tire as it rotates andreceives the weight'of the car, thepin 16, Which is rigidly carried. by the chain, may move back'a'nd forth in the elongated slot 15 without causing the fasten mally, which action'is oftenaccompanied int'he present forms 'of clips with the escape ofthe link 12' from the hook 17' whioh is formed at the opposite end of the plate {13;

, Thishook is provided "beyond a recess 18 having a forward diagonal wall 19 and a rear diagonal 20. The recess 18 is open 7 through the top'of the plate 13 and through both sides thereof, but is closed at it's bot.- J I tom, preferably by the curved wall 21 which may conform in general to the cross sectional curvatureof, the link 12. In this manner a pocket is formed at the base of the forward Wall 19, making it necessary'if the link 12 isfto escape from thispocket to ride up tlie 9 upwardl'yand rearwardly inclined wall 19.

Extending in a plane above, the hook 17' and slot 15 is a notch 22 closed at its forward end andope'n at its rear end anda't its sides; ,o This notch 22 is adapted to receive the wings wings :constitute 'substantially strong angle 'iron' construc tionsfthe side Walls or vertical webs "of 'w lrich are indicated at25 and 4, act to embrace the sides of the plate 1 3 when ao the keeper member 14 is lowered to the keeper is in a lowered closed position, as shown in Figure 1.

These webs merge at their forward ends with side plates 26 of the keeper, such side plates being adapted to embrace opposite sides of the plate 13. In the side plates 26 are elongated slots 27 of a form and character substantially identical with the slot 15 with .which they are adapted to register when in the closed locked position shown in Figure 1.

A bridge or connected piece 28 is also preferably a part of the keeper member in order to V secure the two side plates 26 together.

In the use of the device, the parts are shown in the opcnposition in Figure 2. One end of the chain involving the link 11 is permanently connected to the imp'roved clip device through the pin 16 andthe pin and its chain have therefore a relative movement with respect to the plate 13 and the keeper member 14 also has a relative movement both with respect to the plate 13 and the pin 16.

In the open position of the parts shown in Figure 2. the link 12 of'the chain may flb be freely slipped over the hook 17 and into the socket 18 in which it will remain engaged by reason of the tautness of the side chain- 10 aided by the locking keeper 14. After the link 1 has been placed in the socket 18, a position where the wings 23 and 24 will strike the upper edge of the plate 13. Thereupon the keeper 14 is the chain link 11, causing the wings 23 and 24 to enter the notch 22, the. overhanging upper wall of which will prevent the keeper from pivoting upwardly about the pin 16. Thelink 12 will thus be held fast in the hook 17. V

Of course the keeper may be made of some resilient material, for instance sheet metal, and the side walls of this keeper may have a frictional clamping engagement with the side walls of the plate 13. This will assist to 453 avoid any casual working of the keeper member longitudinally along the plate 13 to a position where the wings 2'3 and 24 might escapelfrom the notch 22. However, the pin 16 wil l interlocked condition. When the chain buckles or tends to contract, the pins 16 may move along in the slots 15 and 27 without pushing.

removing the tire chain or the like, it is only necessary to move the keeper member outwardly and then upwardly by manual .ma- 56 nipnlation. V 7

moved longitudinally toward tend, by the very tautness of the side 5 chain 10, to hold the keeper member in the The function of the wings 23 and 24 is to;

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

That is claimed is 1. An improved clip comprising a plate having an elongated slot at one end and a hook at the other end with a notch extending above and between said slot and hook, and a slotted keeper pivotally and slidably mounted upon said plate and having wings extending therefrom adapted to extend over said hook and into said notch.

2. An improved clip comprising a plate having a slot at one end, a hook at the other end and a notch therebetween, a keeper having slotted side plates for alinement with the slot in the plate, a bridge connecting said side walls, and wings extending ofi' saidside walls and adapted to extend in and out of said notch and over the hook.

3. An improved clip comprising a plate having a slot at one end, a hook at the other end and a notch in the intermediate portion thereof, a keeper having side walls for embracing the sides of the plate, said side walls having elongated slots for registering with the slot of the plate, a chain link having a pin slidably mounted through said slots, a bridge piece connecting said side plates, wings extending from said side plates and adapted to extend over said hook and into and out of said notch, and angle webs on said wings. i

4. An improved clip comprising a plate having a slot, a hook and a notch, a slotted keeper pivotally and slidably mounted upon said plate and having wings extending there from adapted to extend over said hood and into said notch.

In testimonyrwhereof, I have aflixed my signature.

GLEN KLINTWORTH. 

